Electric popcorn-popper



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ABNER R. NEFF, 0F LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA ELEQTRIC' PoPceRN-rorrnn,

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 7 1921.

Application filed May 31, 1919. Serial o. 300,831.

' Improvements in Electric Popcorn-Poppers,

of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electrically heated utensils; and an object of the inventionV is the provision of an .electrically heated pop-corn pepper; and the provision, in such a pop-corn pepper, of a lsimple and eflicient .construction which may be easily and effectively used for the popping of pop-corn.

I am not aware that any electrically heated pop-corn pepper has been heretofore produced. Whereas a great variety of utensils are now heated by electricity, pop-corn poppers are universally of the old style which are used over a stove or over a slow fire. There are a great many objectionable features to such pop-cern poppers; they necessitate the popping of corn either over a grease producing gas or oil stove or over a hot bed of coals. Neither of these operations is pleasant during the warmer months of the year; and, in general, a great deal of the pleasure of popping corn is taken away by the shortcomings of the old stylepop-corn pepper. It is an object of my invention to obviate these -diiliculties and to produce a device which has in it none of these difficulties inherentin the old style popcorn pepper. It is an object of my invention to provide a pop-corn popperwhich is clean and attractive; and in which only that amount of heat is generated which is-neces sary to the actual popping of the corn. It

vis also an object of my invention to provide a construction simple an-d elncient initself v ybase 10 there is a layer of heat insulating and, preferably, capable of being used in a variety of manners. 'Such obJects, and further objects and corresponding features of the invention will be best understood from the following detailed description of different forms of pop-corn poppers embodying my invention, reference for this purpose being had to the accompanying drawings in `which- -Figure 1 is a sectional plan view ofthe pepper taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the pepper; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken as indicated by line 3-3 on Fig. 1; Figs. 4 and are enlarged detail sections of modified forms of the pop per; Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a pepper embodying the invention; Fig. 7 is a plan ofthe form shown in Fig. 6, the upper cover being removed; and Fig. 8 is an enlarged detailed section tak-en as indicated bv line 8 8 on Fig. 7. u

Inthedrawings numeral 10 designate; the base or pan of the popper on which is mounted the box shaped cagell. Attached to base pan 10 there is a handle 12. The handle is preferably made of metal soldered or brazed to the base, but however, any suitable mate-` rial maybe used forl the handle-such as a composition, wood or some similar material.

. The base pan 10 issubstantially a shallow tray and is preferably formed from one piece of sheet metal and comprises a bottom 13 and sides 14. The sides 14 -are not at right angles with the base 10 but iarev slightly outward as shown in the drawings.

In the base 1() there is a l heating grid 16. The grid 16 is made of a metal or alloy that has suliicient resistance to become'heated when an electric current is passed through it.4 The grid may be any suitable shape and the metal out of which it is made may be eitherin the form of a wire, a ribbon er a that has been stamped out of, a sheet of metal. As shown in the drawings lthe grid is connected to lead wires 19 which enter the popperthrough the handle 12 and' pass throughthe handle to the base 10. The

wires pass into the lbase 10 through a hole f 35 in the side 14 and connect to the grid as shown in Fig. 1. The grid 16 is preferably made small enough to lit within the base 10 so as to'be far enough away from sides 14 to prevent them from becomingheated.

Between the grid 16 and the bottom 13 ofmaterial 15. In thev preferred form of the invention asbestos is used for this insulation as it not only insulates the grid so that it will not conduct electricity to the bottom 13 lbut also prevents the bottom from becoming lating material 17 which insulates the grid from the cover plate 18 on whichthe ce1-nis placed. The insulation 17 may be a thin sheet of mica.. The protective cover 18 fits into the base 10 so as to entirely cover and protect the insulation and heating grid. The

cover 18 may be made of sheet metal or of wire netting as shown in Fig. 4. The grid,

the insulating layers .and thecover 18 may Inthe corners formed by the cover plate 18 and the sides 14 there are curved sheet metal corner pieces 25. The co-rner pieces may be attached to the sides by means of screws 26. lV hen the corner pieces 25 are in pla-ce they 15 hold theinsulations andthe grid tightly together and press them against the bottom 13 thereby` preventing them from becoming shifted or out of place. The corn-er pieces also act as a fillet to keep the corn away from the sides of the popper and direct it toward the center where it 'will be over the heating grid.

The cage 11 comprises sides 20, ends 21 and 22 and a top 28. The cage is a per- 25 forated structure and is preferably made of wire netting, as shown in the drawings. The cage 11 is substantially the same in construction and it is the same in purpose as the cage structure used in ordinary corn l poppers. The perforated construction allows the operator to see the corn pop and enables him to know when it is done and also preventsv the corn from being scattered when it is popped. The sides 20 and the ends 2]: and 22 are made of wire netting mountedI on a wire frame 23. The bottom part of the frame 23. is made to lit into the base 10 so that it rests on cover 18 and the corner pieces 25 fit over the frame 23 and so as to cover it and hold it tightly against ithe cover 18. The sides and ends of the cage are firmly clamped between the sides 14 and the corner pieces 25.

In Fig. 5 is shown a form of construction in which no corner pieces are used. In

this construction there are indentations or grooves in the sides 14 into which the lower part of frame 23 fits.

The cover 28 comprises a wire frame 32 o`n which is mounted a wire netting or screen 33. The cover is hinged at 27 to end 21.

Attached at 29 to end 22 there is aihook 30 which hooks over frame 32 of cover 28 and keeps it closed. 'Thehook 30 is provided with a handle 31 which makes it easy to operate.

The forms of the invention hereinabove described are merely typical and the invention is not limited to such forms as it may be embodied in various yforms of popper. For instance, it may take the form shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8.

In Figs. 6, 7 and 8 `is shown a form of construction in. which the heating grid, the

insulations and the cover are a separate unit and the cage is constructed so thatit can be easily removed from the base paI1.

. from` the base.

The asbestos 15a is held away from bottom 13aby the frame 40 thus leaving a space 41 between them. In the bottom 13a there are perforations or holes 42 which allow air to circulate between the bottom `and the asbestos. This construction prevents the bottom from becoming heated even if the asbestos becomes heated. In this form of the invention the handle 12a may vbe -attached to the bottom 13a instead of a side 14a. The

heating unit comprising the grid, the insulations and the cover is held in the base by a frame 44 formed of corner pieces or fillets 25a. The frame 44 its in the base pan 10a and is held by itting under the corrugations 45 near the top of the sides 14a.

The cage 11a is made of line wire netting mounted on a wire frame 46. The frame 46 is made to fit in the outside of corrugations 45. In order to place corn in or remove it from the popper the page is com# pletely disengaged from the base pan. This makes it possible to use the base forlother purposes without the cage. The sides 14 are not continuous at their corner intersections, but are slit there, as indicated at 14". This construction allows the sides to have enough spring to allow the frame 44 and the cage 11a to be attached to and removed Afrom the base with ease. y

The entire device may be iinished in any desired manner, for instance, it may be nickel or silver plated or it may be enameled.

When corn is placed in the popper it comes directly in contact with the cover 18. IVhen current is passed through the grid the heat from said grid passes through the thin mica sheet and heats the cover 18. The corn being in contact with the cover 28 becomes heated and vpops in the usual manner. As stated above, the corn is prevented from flying out of the popper by the cage structure. In order to prevent the corn from burning the operator may conveniently hold the device by the handle and keep the corn agitated in the usual manner.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that throughout the various forms of my invention there are certain characteristic features. Generally speaking, electrically my heated pop-corn popper embodies a holder for the pop-corn, which holder may be in the form of a pan alone or in the electric heating element with its protective and insulating parts; and a means for holding the heating unit in the pan. This holding means may be provided preferably in the form of a fillet, which, as hereinbefore described, directs the corn away from walls of the pan and back to the effective part of the heating element itself; so that the heating element need not extend close to the walls ofthe pan and so that the pop-corn is kept at all times over the hot part of the heating element. This arrangement keeps the heat well within the structure, and keepsI it from radiating out into the Surrounding air.` My construction concentrates the heat upon the pop-corn rather than wasting it by radia- -tion to the surrounding air. Then the third unit of a preferred form of my device comprises the upper cage which is removably mounted upon the pan. When this upper cage s used the pop-corn is completely inclosed. The upper cage may be removed, either for the purpose of removing the pop corn from the popper or it may be removed for the purpose of using the pan for other operations.

' The foregoing description will now .suffice to set forth my real invention; which is not limited to the specific and particular details` which I have here described. I have e ntered into these particular details for the purpose of making my invention fully intelligible in a practical and operative form;

and not for the purpose of limiting my invention to these particular details.

Having described a preferred form of my invention, I claim: v

l. An electrically heated pop-corn popper embodying a pan, a heating element therein, a foraminous cage over the top of the pan; the heating element being spaced at its edges from the walls of the pan, and a sloping fillet member around the walls of the pan with its slope leading to a point over the heating element to direct pop-corn away from the walls and over the heating element.

2. In an electrically heated utensil, a container. a heating element therein with its edges spaced from the sides of the container, and a fillet member in the container with its slope leading to a point over the heating element to direct matter in the container away from its walls and over the heating element.

-3. In an electrically heated utensil, a coni talner, a removable/heating element therein with its ed es spaced from the sides of the 4 container, a d a sloping filletmember in the container with its slope leading to a point over the'heating element to direct matter in the container away from its walls and over the heating element; said 'fillet member eX- tending over the edge of the heating element to hold it in place and being removably held in the container. a

4. In an electrically heated utensil, a container, and a heating unit therein embodying a heating'element having a heat insulating layer on its underside, said container bein adapted to receive material upon said heatlng unit, the unit being spaced above the bottom of the container, and the container bottom being perforated to allow air circulation below the heating unit.

5. In an electrically heated utensil, a pan, a heating unit removably placed in the bot' tom of the pan and embodying a heating element with la heat insulating'layer below Y element with a heat insulating layer below it, the heating unit being spaced slightly above the pan bottom and the bottom being perforated; the heating element being I spaced at its edges all around from the sides of the pan ,and a yfillet member around the sides of the pan with its lower edge resting on the heating unit to hold it in place; the

sides of the pan being yresilient and having a shoulder which is sprung over the fillet to hold it in place.

7. In an electrically heated utensil, a pan, a heating unit removably placed in the bottom of the pan and embodying a heating element with a heat insulating layer below it, the heating unit being spaced slightly above the pan bottom and the bottom being perforated; the heating-element being spaced at its'edges all around from the sidesV of the pan; and aV fillet member around the sides of the pan withits lower'edge resting on the heating -unit to hold it in place; the sides of the pan being resilient and having a shoulder which is sprung over the fillet to hold itl in place; and a cage removably mounted over'the top of the pan.

layer and a protective metal covering on 130 the other side of the element, the metal cov- 9. An electric heating unit embodying a heating element, a heat insulating layer on and a protective metal covering on the other side 'of the element, the metal covering being bent around the edges of the element and heat insulating layer to bind the Whole unit together; and a Wire frame around which the edge of the metal covering is bent to form ahead for spacing the heat insulating layer from a surface on which it rests.

10. AA corn popper comprisingl a pan, a

handle on said pan, a heating element in' said' pan, said element being adapted to become heated When an electric current is passed therethrough, and a foraminous cage over i have hereunto subscribed my name th1s 21st the top of the pan.

11. In an electrically', heated utensil, a

pan, a heating unit removably placed in thel lower part of the pan, a fillet member Within and around the pan With its lower edge resting on theheating unit to hold it in place, and the pan Walls releasably engaging the outer edge of the fillet member so that the fillet and -heating unit may be removed.4

12. In an electrically heated utensil', a pan, a heating unit removably placed in the .lower part of the pan, a iillet member Within and yaround the pan with its lower edge resting on the heating unit to hold it in place; the sides of the `pan being resilient and having a shoulder Which is sprung over the fillet to hold it in place.

`13. A corn 'popper comprising a pan, a handle von said pan, a heating element in said pan, said element being adapted to become heated when an electric current' is passed therethrough, and a removable foraminous cage over th'e top of the pan.

In Witness that I claim the foregoing I day of May, 1919.'

ABNER R. NEFF. Witness: l VIRGINIA` BERINGER. 

